What good is the Bible In Modern Times?
Text: 2 Timothy 3.10-17
In our modern world it may seem that a book that had its last entry written about 2,000 years ago would be out of date. Yet it is as modern and relevant for today's world as it was when it was first written and read. Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage him and to help the younger man live his life as Christ would want him to. Paul knew how difficult it was and the areas that could be affected. He spoke of life, purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, suffering and just the things that happen in a daily basis.
He wrote about this to the church at Corinth when he said, "I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches." 2 Corinthians 11.23b.29 It sounds like Paul knew what it was to live a life that was filled with pressures. Yet, he was able to write to Timothy and say that "the Lord rescued me from all of them." If he could see what stops some of us from living outwardly for Christ he would wonder if we were a bunch of wimps.
A CLEAR CHOICE?
Paul knew there were only two paths a life could really take. The first one was the path of Godly living a life as a follower of Jesus. There was a warning that went with this path. Anyone who followed Christ Jesus would be persecuted. That might make someone want to take the other path. That is until you see what Paul said about the other path. The other path is full of evil men and impostors. This path start out bad and then thing get worse. It is where everyone is either deceiving or is being deceived. Many people choose the second path because they think it is the easier one. When you look at the life of Paul and all he went through you might wonder why anyone would choose the godly path. Then all you have to do is remember it is the path that God is watching over and the one that promises you will be "rescued all the time."
A GODLY LIFE
Paul says there are four elements of the path of a Godly life. The person must CONTINUE in what they have learned as a Christian believer and follower of Jesus. This is the ability to stay on the path. They need to be CONVINCED in where they are going. This is about the long term and final destination of the believer. It is why Paul was able to endure so much. The believer must have CONFIDENCE in their teachers. In our modern world the popularity of the teachers and preachers has replaced their ability to guide the disciple/student into a deeper life. Finally the believer must remain a CHILD of the scriptures. Always studying and learning from the written Word of God.
THE PURPOSE OF SCRIPTURE
Paul said that the scriptures were given to us to help us on the Godly path. Every time we read we should expect our path to be examined. God has designed the Bible so that it is always forming and transforming the path and the life of His believers.
The call to repent means to change direction. This is how God Corrects the path of the believer. The scriptures are designed to show us the way back. This is the way back to the Godly path. It is about being in the right place or the place where God wants you to be. When Jesus had a problem with Peter he told him to get behind him because he did not have "in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Mark 8.33 Peter needed to get back on the path behind Jesus. God was clear of his intentions toward anyone who did not respond to His correction. "If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction but continue to be hostile toward me, I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over." Leviticus 26.23.24 Here is the choice a person has to make. Will they acknowledge the rebuke and make the corrections or will they find themselves cut off from God on the path of evil where things always go from bad to worse.
The scriptures have been given to us to keep us on the godly path. To make it possible for us to avoid the evil and impostors that would take our life from bad to worse. We are to be in the scriptures so that the believer may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. There are two promises for those who follow the Godly path. First they will be persecuted. Without the help of God this would be a negative and make the path of evil inviting, but the second promise is that God will rescue the believer all the time. Choose carefully which path you will take. Only one path is the path the you will travel with God and be rescued when trouble comes your way. The scriptures are given to us so we can learn, learn when we have made a wrong turn, learn how to get back on the right path, and to learn how to stay on the path of righteousness. What good are the scriptures in modern times? Without them we would be lost with our lives going from bad to worse. With them we can know the right way and that God is there to rescue us all the time.
